Tire protector



Dee.. 8,1925'. 1.565.172

L. P. C LOTTE TIRE YROTECTOR Filed Ilay 20. 1924 2 Sheets-Shut 2 Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

UNITED STATES LUCIEN :PAUL CLESTIN LOTTE, F PAB/IS, FRANCE.

TIRE PROTECTOR.

Application filed May 20, 192%,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LUCIEN PAUL CLnsTIN Lo'rrn, a citizen of the Republic of France, and residing at Paris, Seine Department, No. 57 Boulevard Pereiro, in the Republic of France, industrial, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tire Protectors, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention has for its object an eliicient and practical tire protector, of the type in which the usual vehicle wheel rolls upon the inner surface of a. ring of larger diameter.

The appended drawing shows by way of example a constructional form of tire according' to th-e invention, as well as modifications of certain parts of the-same.

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic vertical section of the whole arrangement of the wheel with its protector.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the protector on a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a corresponding partial elevation.

Fig. l is a cross-section of another form of rolling rings.

Fig. 5 shows the details relative to pairs of wheels.

The said protector, Fig. 2, consists essentially of an annular roller path 1 which is employed for the tire to be protected and whose diameter is appreciably larger than the diameter of the said tire, the same being made of sheet or strip steel, and preferably bent according to the shape of the tire; its width is just suificient in order that the usual pneumatic tire may roll thereupon with a transverse play varying from one to several centimeters, according to the width. This transverse displacement is essential, because when combined with the other arrangements to be further described it will prevent the side slipping of the vehicle. The thickness of the roller path is exactly what is necessary in order that the said ring, at the points at which it is subjected to the action of road obstacles, shall only undergo slight and temporary distortions due to the elasticity of the metal composing the same, without being altered by permanent distortions. Its outline is just suflicient to prevent the tire from leaving the same when rotating, by passing over its edges. v

The said roller path is entirely surrounded .by a rubber tire 2 whose cross section, havthe outline ,shown in Fig. 2 is well ,sepa- Serial No. 714,714.

rated from the sides of the flanges of the roller path 1, and this will counteract the fish-bone shearing of the tire 2 by sharpedged obstacles coming against its sides. rThe roller path itself is mounted within the tire 2 in such manner that since its outer diameter is somewhat larger than the inner diameter of the tire 2, there will be a certain pressure or at least a constant contact between these two parts.

The diameter of the rings formed by the edges or beads 3 of the tires should be such that the said rings will allow the wheel with its inflated tire to enter the said arrangement with facility.

It is important to observe that the thin parts of the wall of the tire 2 situated between the roller path 1 and the bead 3 will thus form a connection, which is perfectly elastic in all directions, between the roller path 1 and the guide cheeks 6 secured to the beads.

The beads 3 are held between two metal rings (preferably of iron) which are pressed together by suitable means, and whereof one-preferably situated in the interior of the tiresupports (for example bv riveting) a guide cheek which is constituted as will be further set forth. arrangement surrounding the wheel shall be -guided in such manner that the said arrangement may without undue departure from the mean vertical position afford a suitable transverse displacement of the said tire upon its roller path, and without any abnormal effects of friction.

The said tire should be brought back to its proper position on the roller path in an analogous manner to what prevails in the case of a belt which is brought back to the convex part of a pulley, which effect is facilitated if required by the outline given to the roller path 1. So that the lateral motion of the lower parts of the arrangement should not be hindered, whilst the motion of the upper part should be particularly independent of the position of -the wheel. Otherwise stated, it is essential for the good working y of the arrangement that the protector should be guided with reference to the wheel solely by the upper part of said wheel, Fig. 1. By this means I not only prevent the side slipping of the vehicle but also facilitate the turning on the road by causing the arrangement to follow the motion of the front wheels only in a progressive manner, and I It is important that the further attenuate the ell'ects ot prejudicial jarring dueto obstacles encountered at a certain angle.

lt is-turther necessary that the guiding device should not comprise moving parts, vthat it should have an absolutely noieeless operation, that it should be very light and should be exempt from all abrupt action, Whilel on the contrary it should have a certain inherent elasticity. l obtain all .these results by constituting the guiding element by the annular cheeks G, for example ot aluminium` connected with the rings l and 5, and so shaped that an annular decreased portion 7 situated near the inner edge will form anrestricted passa-ge in which the upper part ot the pneumatic tire to be protected will be situated, with a restricted play which is much less than what is given to the Wheel with respect to the roller path l.

The position ot the decreased portion 7 is so determined that the guiding will take place place by the direct contact between the widest part of the pneumatic tire and the said cheek. Since the cheek and the pneumatic tire have ditllerent speeds at the point olf contact, the said cheek must be made ot or at least Ytace-d with a soit metal which will not occasion a Wear ot the india ruhber, such as copper or aluminium. the latter being preterred by reason ot its lightness. ln this manner, the Contact between the tires and the cheek will produce no noise. The elasticity and the liexibility of the thin lateral Wall ot' the roller pat-h willI also have an etlect in order to provide all desired flexibility for the said guiding deans, and l consider it essential tor the goed Working ot a tire protector ot' this type that the guidiifig should take place as described, by means ot' rigid metallic cheeks connected with the roller path 'l properly so called by elastic connections admitting a flexibility in the tri'msverse direction.

lt is also essential that the same connections should allow a longitudinal elasticity and flexibility, i. e. in the plane ot the Wheel itself, since this Will lessen the jarring ot the said roller path and et the Wheel in the toi-ward travel. It is certain lthat in these liarringetli'ects, the mass ot the rings Ll and 5, ot the cheeks 6 and the cap 9 Will enter but little into the action, by reason of the elasticity ot' the thin parts of the tire 2 in the direction ot motion of the Wheel.

The said Walls Will introduce a disconcontinuitybetween the metallic parts ot the apparatus. so that the Vibrations occasioned in the roller path for example when obstacles are met with will not be imparted to the cheeks, and vice versa. For this reason, the said arrangement Will allord an absolutely silent Working throughout the whole ol the apparatus. lt is 'Further essential to re- .duce the heat which may be produced in the interior ol'I the arrangement by reason ot friction or distortion, and whose accumulation would have a destructive etl'cct upon the protector and the pneumatic tires. To this end, the said cheeks are pierced at the parts which are never in contact with the pneumatic tire; the said wings thus more at a linear speed which is about twice the speed ot the vehicle. The strong blast thus produced will cool the roller path and the pneumatic tire and will also drive out all dust, Water and even small gravel which may have entered the device, and the latter is completely dried by the heat due to the rolling motion.

The two cheeks are ot like form, except that in certain cases the Wings 8 may be provided upon only one cheek. Being ot annular shape, they have a large central opening; in the case ot' the outer cheek, this opening is closed by a cap 9 having a suitable shape in order to allow the free motion ot the Wheel hub, and secured to the cheek for instance by a bayonet joint so directed that the rotation will tend to holdv it in pcsitien. This arrangement provides t'or a ready inspection ot the wheel (air iilling and condition of the hub) and the wheel can also be removed with t'acility.

Obviously, ivlien traveling upon sandy or muddy roads, the tire 2 may have at the part in contact with the ground an enlarged surilace after a certain degree ol sinking into the soil, Fig. Ll, or a surface which is suitably roughened, not sl'ion'n.

Claimsl. A protector for Wheel tires comprising tivo annular cheeks, an external roller path ot' flexible material and ot U cross section, the outer edges of the said cheeks being secured to the edges ot said roller pathfand an internal roller path oit' metal disposed against the inner' Wall ot the said rollerrpath ot' llexible material, the edges ot the said internal roller path being inwardly curved in such manner as to be separated trom the inner wall otl the roller path ot' flexible material.

2. The combination of a tire protector comprising two annular cheeks, an external roller path consisting ot a tlexible substance and having` a U cross section, the external edges of the said cheeks being secured to the edges ot' the said roller path, and an internal roller path, consisting ot metal Which is disposed against the internal Wall of the said roller path of flexible material, and a Wheel with pneumatic tire adapted to roll upon the internal tace of the said metallic roller path, the diameter of said Wheel being smaller than that of the said metallic roller path, the internal surface ot said metallic roller path having a cross section of such a shape as to assure the lateral displacements ot the said wheel between these edges.

lill) lil 3. The combination of a tire protector compris-ing two annular cheeks, an external roller path consisting of a flexible substance such as rubber and having a U cross section, the external edges of the said cheeks being secured to the edges of the said external roller path, and an internal roller path consisting of metal which is disposed against the internal wall of the said external roller path, and a wheel with pneumatic tire adapted to roll upon the internal face of the said metallic roller path, the diameter of the said wheel being smaller than that of the said metallic roller path, said external roller path having a thick cross section at the middle, and a thin and flexible cross section at the edges, these flexible edges being alone adapted to connect the internal roller path to the cheeks ot' the apparatus.

4. A protector for wheel tires comprising two annular cheeks, an external roller path ol: tiexible material and of U cross section, the outer edges of the said cheeks being secured to the edges of said roller path, and an internal roller path of metal disposed against the inner wall of the said roller path of flexible material, the edges of the said interna-l roller path being inwardly curved in such manner as to be separated from the inner wall of the roller path of iexible material, the said cheeks having a stepped transverse outline whereby the space between the cheeks shall be narrower' in the part adjacent the inner edge of the cheeks than i-n the part adjacent the periphery ot the same.

5. A protector for wheel tires comprising two annular cheeks, an external roller path ot' flexible material and of U cross section, the outer edges ot the said cheeks being secured to the edges of said roller path, and an internal roller path of metal disposed against the inner wall of the said roller path ot flexible material, the edges of the said internal roller path being inwardly curved in such manner as to be separated from the inner wall of the roller path of iexible material, said cheeks having apertures for the passage of air and inclined projecting members or wings extending outwardly of the said apertures whereby the air is caused to enter the same during the rotation of the protector.

6. A protector for wheel tires comprising two annular cheeks, an external roller path of flexible material and of U cross section, the outer edges of the said cheeks being secured to the edges of said roller path, and an internal roller path of metal disposed against the inner wall of the said roller path of flexible material, the edges of the said internal roller path being inwardly curved in such manner as to be separated from the inner wall of the roller path of iiexible material, the edges of the said roll-er path of iiexible material being enlargedQ in the form of beading, and assembling means comprising at each side of the protector two rings whereof the inner edges are adapted to be placed upon and secured to the outer edge of the respect ive cheek and the outer edges are adapted to clamp between them the respective bead of the roller path of flexible material.

7. The combination with a wheel provided with a pneumatic tire, of a tire protector comprising two annular cheeks, an external roller path ot flexible material and of U cross section, the outer edges of the said cheeks being secured to the edges of said roller path, and an internal roller path olf metal disposed against the inner wall of the said roller path of flexible material, the edges of the said internal roller path being inwardly curved in such manner as to be separated from the inner wall of the roller path ot' flexible material, the inner diameter of said metal roller path being considerably larger than the outer diameter or' the wheel including the pneumatic tire, and the said cheeks having a stepped transverse outline whereby the space between the cheeks in the part adjacent the periphery shall be considerably larger than the pneumatic tire of the wheels, and the said space in the portion adjacent the sides of the pneumatic tire at the upper part ot the wheel shall be scarcely larger than the said tire.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name.

LUCIEN PAUL CELESTIN LOTTE. 

